Mack's Mock Pick # 42 - RHP - Kevin Abel

 

Kevin Abel

Mack's spin - 

Most starter's go-to pitch is their heater. Not Kevin. His ++ breaking ball will make his low 90s fastball look like 100.

Abel is off to a great start this year.

That is why I have moved him solidly into the early parts of the second round.

 

RHP 6-2 195 Oregon State 

 

2021 stat line so far - 4-starts, 1-2, 2.70, 20-IP, 35-K 

 

3-1-21 - Lookout Landing -

 

There’s a lot to like in Kevin Abel’s secondary offerings. The potential for two plus pitches outside of the fastball is enough to entice a lot of teams in the top 100 picks. There’s a little bit of Kyle Davies in Abel, except Abel has a far-superior breaking ball. Davies, of course, gets the nod in polish and command.

 

The Oregon State hurler has a chance to flat-out perform his way into the first round this year. That said, I don’t think he makes his way out of the top two rounds of the draft; 72 picks. The stuff is probably just too good for Abel to have a rough 2021 campaign, especially with the Pac-12 being down in offensive talent. If Seattle wants the local boy to stay in town, pick no. 50 would be a pretty darn good value. The Mariners wouldn’t pick again until pick 85, and I feel by then he’ll be gone. Abel has a pretty high floor, but I wouldn’t call him a “safe” pick by any measure. There’s definitive upside here, and the local appeal never hurts either. 

 

2-25-21 - Joe Doyle @JoeDoyleMiLB

 

Electric outing for Kevin Abel tonight. 5 IP, 11 Ks. Allows 2 hits. 0 ER. He did hit 3 batters and walk two more. 86 pitches.

 

Changeup was *comfortably* plus. CB flashed plus on a number of occasions. 4-seam in low-90s. Worked in a slider.

 

Command was really streaky. 

 

1-20-21 - D1 Baseball's top 100 College Prospects -

 

36 Kevin Abel RHP Oregon State Pac-12 

 

1-14-21  -  Baseball America

 

Kevin Abel

 

Oregon State RHP

 

Ht: 6-2 | Wt: 195 | B-T: R-R

Commit/Drafted: Padres '17 (35)

Age At Draft: 22.4

 

Abel might have one of the wider ranges of opinion from the scouting industry, given his pedigree as a pitcher dating back to high school and his injury history, which includes Tommy John surgery and back issues he experienced as a sophomore. When healthy, the Oregon State righty shows solid stuff and good feel for pitching, with a three-pitch mix that includes a low-90s fastball, a solid curveball and a changeup that has been his best pitch at times. Abel had an exceptional freshman season with the Beavers and was named the Baseball America Freshman of the Year after posting a 2.88 ERA over 81.1 innings and striking out 108 batters (12.0 per nine) and walking 46 (5.1 per nine). He played a key role in the 2018 College World Series championship, winning four games in the CWS and throwing a shutout in Game 3 to clinch the series. Abel was passed over in the 2020 draft and ranked as the No. 124 prospect despite not throwing a pitch, but could get back into the mix after showing a return to form in 2021.

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